GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Instruments and Controls 161
USB Auto Launch
This allows Android and Apple
CarPlay devices to automatically
connect when plugged into the
USB port.
Select Off or On.
Voice
Select and the following may
display:
.Prompt Length
. Audio Feedback Speed
Prompt Length
This feature adjusts the voice
prompt length.
Select Short or Long.
Audio Feedback Speed
This feature adjusts the audio
feedback speed.
Select Slow, Medium, or Fast.
Voice
Select and the following may
display:
. Prompt Length .
Audio Feedback Speed
Prompt Length
This feature adjusts the voice
prompt length.
Select Short or Long.
Audio Feedback Speed
This feature adjusts the audio
feedback speed.
Select Slow, Medium, or Fast.
Display
Select and the following may
display:
. Calibrate Touchscreen
. Turn Display Off
Calibrate Touchscreen
Select to calibrate the touchscreen,
then follow the prompts.
Turn Display Off
Select to turn the display off. Press
anywhere on the display area or any
faceplate button to turn the
display on.
Rear Camera
Select and the following may
display:
. Guidance Lines
. Rear Park Assist Symbols
Guidance Lines
Select to turn Off or On. See
Assistance Systems for Parking or
Backing 0291.
Rear Park Assist Symbols
Select to turn Off or On. See
Assistance Systems for Parking or
Backing 0291.
Return to Factory Settings
Select and the following may
display:
.
Restore Vehicle Settings
. Clear All Private Data
. Restore Radio Settings
Restore Vehicle Settings
This allows selection of restoring
vehicle settings.
Select Restore or Cancel.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
162 Instruments and Controls
Clear All Private Data
This allows selection to clear all
private information from the vehicle.
Select Delete or Cancel.
Restore Radio Settings
This allows selection to restore
radio settings.
Select Restore or Cancel.
Software Information
Select to view the infotainment
system current software information.
Universal Remote
System
SeeRadio Frequency
Statement 0467.
Universal Remote System
Programming
If equipped, these buttons are in the
overhead console.
This system can replace up to three
remote control transmitters used to
activate devices such as garage
door openers, security systems, and
home automation devices. These instructions refer to a garage door
opener, but can be used for other
devices.
Do not use the Universal Remote
system with any garage door opener
that does not have the stop and
reverse feature. This includes any
garage door opener model
manufactured before April 1, 1982.
Read the instructions completely
before programming the Universal
Remote system. It may help to have
another person assist with the
programming process.
Keep the original hand-held
transmitter for use in other vehicles
as well as for future programming.
Erase the programming when
vehicle ownership is terminated.
See
“Erasing Universal Remote
System Buttons” later in this
section.
To program a garage door opener,
park outside directly in line with and
facing the garage door opener
receiver. Clear all people and
objects near the garage door.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 237
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 246
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 247
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 249
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 258
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 262
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . 266
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 267
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 283
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 286
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 290
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 291
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) (2500/3500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 301
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 259
Ignition Positions
Vehicles with Key Access have an
ignition switch with four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
0 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF) :When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0262. This position locks the ignition and
steering wheel. It also locks the
transmission on automatic
transmission vehicles. The key can
be removed in LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
does not work, then the vehicle
needs service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF. On
vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever
must be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition switch to the LOCK/
OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0282.{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
260 Driving and Operating
Caution
Using a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. It also
unlocks the steering wheel. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
2 (ON/RUN) : This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If the key is left in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. The vehicle may not
start if the battery is allowed to drain
for an extended period of time.
3 (START) :
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened and the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition.
Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
For an eAssist vehicle, see the
Silverado/Sierra eAssist
supplement.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical
Equipment 0334.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
while starting the vehicle, damage
may occur to the power steering
system and there may be loss of
power steering assist.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 283
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, seeDriving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0304.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be useful
when the vehicle is stopped on a
grade. This feature is designed to
prevent the vehicle from rolling,
either forward or rearward, during
vehicle drive off. After you
completely stop and hold the vehicle
in a complete standstill on a grade,
HSA will automatically activate.
During the transition period between
when you release the brake pedal
and start to accelerate to drive off
on a grade, HSA holds the braking
pressure for a maximum of
two seconds to ensure that there is
no rolling. The brakes will
automatically release when the
accelerator pedal is applied within
the two-second window. If the
vehicle is equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control(ITBC) system, HSA may also apply
the trailer brakes. It will not activate
if the vehicle is in a drive gear and
facing downhill or if the vehicle is
facing uphill and in R (Reverse).
There may be situations on minor
hills (less than 5% grade) with a
loaded vehicle or while pulling a
trailer where HSA may activate.
If you release the brake pedal and
then reapply the brake pedal while
HSA is activated, the brake pedal
typically feels firmer with less pedal
travel.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
290 Driving and Operating
Driver Assistance
Systems
This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes
or reduce crash damage while
driving, backing, and parking. Read
this entire section before using
these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These
systems do not replace the need
for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or feel
alerts or warnings provided by
these systems. Failure to use
proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. SeeDefensive
Driving 0239.
Under many conditions, these
systems will not: (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Detect children,
pedestrians, bicyclists,
or animals.
. Detect vehicles or objects
outside the area monitored
by the system.
. Work at all driving speeds.
. Warn you or provide you
with enough time to avoid a
crash.
. Work under poor visibility or
bad weather conditions.
. Work if the detection sensor
is not cleaned or is covered
by ice, snow, mud, or dirt.
. Work if the detection sensor
is covered up, such as with
a sticker, magnet, or metal
plate.
. Work if the area surrounding
the detection sensor is
damaged or not properly
repaired.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Complete attention is always
required while driving, and you
should be ready to take action
and apply the brakes and/or steer
the vehicle to avoid crashes.
Audible or Safety Alert Seat
Some driver assistance features
alert the driver of obstacles by
beeping. To change the volume of
the warning chime, see “Comfort
and Convenience” underVehicle
Personalization 0155.
If equipped with the Safety Alert
Seat, the driver seat cushion may
provide a vibrating pulse alert
instead of beeping. To change this,
see “Collision/Detection Systems”
under Vehicle
Personalization 0155.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955992) - 2017 - crc - 5/3/16
Driving and Operating 291
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing
If equipped, the Rear Vision Camera
(RVC), Rear Parking Assist (RPA),
and Front Parking Assist (FPA) may
help the driver park or avoid objects.
Always check around the vehicle
when parking or backing.
The RVC and RPA will not work
properly if the tailgate is down. If the
tailgate is down, do not use these
systems.
Rear Vision Camera (RVC)
When the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse), the RVC displays an
image of the area behind the vehicle
in the center stack display. The
previous screen displays when the
vehicle is shifted out of R (Reverse)
after a short delay. To return to the
previous screen sooner, press a
button on the infotainment system,
shift into P (Park), or reach a vehicle
speed of 8 km/h (5 mph).
1. View Displayed by theCamera
1. View Displayed by theCamera
2. Corners of the Rear Bumper
Displayed images may be farther or
closer than they appear. The area
displayed is limited and objects that
are close to either corner of the
bumper or under the bumper do not
display.
A warning triangle may display on
the RVC screen to show that RPA
has detected an object. This triangle
changes from amber to red and
increases in size the closer the
object.
{Warning
The camera(s) do not display
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
crossing traffic, animals, or any
other object outside of the
cameras’ field of view, below the
bumper, or under the vehicle.
Shown distances may be different
from actual distances. Do not
drive or park the vehicle using
only these camera(s). Always
check behind and around the
vehicle before driving. Failure to
use proper care may result in
injury, death, or vehicle damage.